Pasta with Baked Tomatoes and Peppers

I have been cooking and reading, but not blogging. The Palm Beach County Public Library West Atlantic Branch has seen me just about daily the past few weeks. At this time of the year with so many snowbirds up north, the library shelves are overflowing with both new and old books. I can't resist! So with each visit, I return 2 books and borrow 6 more.

After seeing a fabulous photo of Deborah Madison's version of this dish in her book Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmer's Markets, I couldn't get to The Boys Market fast enough to purchase the ingredients. Visit your local public library or a bookstore and take a look at this excellent cookbook. I changed Deborah's recipe very slightly by removing most of the fat and serving it hot over pasta and rewriting the directions for that. You will see no photo here because the one in the book is just too perfect.

Pasta with Baked Peppers and Tomatoes

4 large bell peppers, red, orange and yellow
1 large tomato
2 medium yellow tomatoes
6 sprigs parsley
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
12 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3/4 pound whole wheat rigatoni or sedoni pasta

Cut the tops off of the peppers, slice into quarters, and removed the seeds and veins. Brush or spray a baking pan lightly with olive oil and place the peppers skin side up on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes until the skins are very wrinkled. Place the peppers into a brown paper bag for about 15 minutes to steam for easy removal of the skin which should then slip off easily. Cut the slices of peppers in half horizontally and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Brush or spray a small baking dish with olive oil to keep the vegetables from sticking and set aside.

Using only the leaves of the parsley, gently buzz them in a chopper with the garlic and remaining olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the marjoram, capers and olives. Add the parsley mixture to the olives and stir.

Combine the tomatoes, peppers, and the parsley mixture in the oiled dish using your hands or a spoon. Cover and bake for 30 minutes*.

Season with crushed red pepper and serve over the cooked pasta.

Serves 4 as a pasta course.

*The vegetables can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.